WWE Cell in a Hell 2022

[sek69]

Yeah after this, the next time someone doesn't want to work injured they're gonna get thought of as a big baby in Vince's eyes.

[El-P]

Not to mention self-imposed pressure. Of course all the old-school carnies will go "Great work kid !", but if I was a worker today, I would be *pissed*, not admirative. I was wondering before the show what stupid shit Cody would do, jokingly saying he was probably thinking about doing even worse than the fire spot, and there you go. Honestly, there's something almost disturbing going on with him if you put everything on perspective. Like the crowd turning on him in AEW kinda fucked his brain and he will do anything to get the love and validation he so badly wants from the pro-wrestling audience. I dunno. I'm really kinda grossed out by the entire thing. And BTW, I would say the very exact same words if this had happened in AEW (I would hope TK would not have let him work in this shape).

[El-P]

Poor child.

And of course, pro-wrestlers loved that Cody did it. It's argue to garner sympathy for them after that point, really.    This, the reactions, everything is so off-putting to me. Positive thinking and survivor bias bullshit galore.

[Champagne]

For what it's worth, here is a video from an MD discussing how "safe" it was for Cody to work with the injury, as well as a post with follow-up comments on the Reddit Squared Circle forum from an athletic trainer with his take on the situation.

 

[strobogo]

Dare I say that was the most Dusty-like Cody has ever been, in terms of truly making an audience FEEL

[El-P]

It's easy to make an audience "feel", whatever that means, when you're actually in tremendous pain. Even Onita's stuff looked more painfull than it probably was. Gotta invent a new term for this. Pain-porn wrestling. "Look at me, I'm working injured, look at my grotesque looking body, I'm suffering for real ! I'm suffering for your ! Please glorify me !". Yuck.

Someone pointed out that it was also on a C-level PPV with no hype going on, against a guy he already had beat, so it's not like the overall picture is fantastic. So he had to suffer that much to beat a guy he already beat twice in a row ? What a dumb fuck kayfabe-wise, so unnecessary.

[Dav'oh]

...and now Seth is a guy who couldn't beat a one-armed man, even with all the international objects he wanted. 

[kas]

Surely he also risks injuring himself in another way because of having to overcompensate on other muscles as well?

[KawadaSmile]

50 minutes ago, kas said:

Surely he also risks injuring himself in another way because of having to overcompensate on other muscles as well?

That would be the biggest concern, but they did work in a way that Cody didn't have to do a lot of heavy lifting.

 

Also, I don't think this match changes anything, really. People like Cesaro and KOR frequently wrestle cosplaying as the Yeti, with fucktons of bandages to help with pain, Omega wrestled with VERTIGO while holding five different belts and could barely lift his arms... 

I am not saying that Cody going for it is necessarily smart, but the precedent was there way before he showed how fucked he was. It would be much more dangerous if he had a concussion or something.

[NintendoLogic]

The consensus from medical professionals seems to be that the injury was already as bad as it was going to get and working the match was just an issue of pain management. Exploiting a gruesome-looking but relatively minor injury is just classic pro wrestling. Also, let's get real. If pro wrestlers cared about their physical well-being, they wouldn't have gotten involved in the industry in the first place. If anything, they're more likely to cover up the severity of their injuries to avoid being put on the shelf.

[El-P]

This is completely different. Omega never told anyone he had vertigo until he stopped working. People wearing straps is usual in sports, sadly, people work injured. This is not good, but this was another thing entirely : this is Cody entering the match with a severe injury and *making a spectacle* out of *his real pain*, and being glorified for it. Glorified for enduring the pain, glorified for working injured not only as part of the story of the match but *being the integral story of the match*. This sends an absolutely toxic message.

The fact he worked hurt is one thing, and one thing that is done all the time and is problematic for sure, but this is not what this is all about. This is all about the absolute glorification of working hurt and the spectacle of sustaining the real pain of a real injury as the story of a pro-wrestling match. This is making things worse for everybody on a different level. The fact so many pro-wrestlers have tweeted their admiration shows how fucked up the mentality still is. I'm sure some think it's bullshit, but I bet they would never go public with this kind of opinion, because they would get murdered on social media for it...

Can't wait 'till he comes back after the magic John Cena cure too...

[Dav'oh]

Plus he received nerve-deadening injections, so he worked "injured" but he didn't work "hurt". There was no "pain barrier" for him to "work through".

[El-P]

At least the booking is easy now. He goes away. Comes back to win the Rumble, beats Roman Reigns at Mania. Oh wait...

[Tenese Sarwieh]

I know some are concerned about the torn pec and causing more damage, and while it's normal to feel that way, I've always believed that you can do whatever you want with your body and Cody is no different. The match was great, and you knew Cody had a lot of input with the bull rope and sledgehammer utilized. Also, props to Seth for putting over Cody in a threepeat. I know he gets ragged on for being a company man and his foolish character, but he is still a top-tier performer, and this program showed it. This Cody return is the only thing that has kept me interested in WWE in a good while, and I'd be dumbfounded if he is not the person to take down Roman.

[Burgundy LaRue]

1 hour ago, Dav'oh said:

...and now Seth is a guy who couldn't beat a one-armed man, even with all the international objects he wanted. 

I mentioned this to someone last night. Seth looks like a goober who couldn't win even when his opponent was at a severe disadvantage. Major props to him, working a match with someone that injured and making it look good is impressive.

Wrestlers aren't screwed on straight as it is. They're crashing and falling onto barely covered wooden planks, heavy ropes/cables, and barricades/floors on purpose. Many work 'hurt' without our knowledge. Omega wrestling with vertigo is still a major WTF for me. Reigns was pushing his hernia back in and needed emergency surgery in 2014 because he wouldn't get it taken care of like a rational person.

But Cody last night? May as well call it Passion of the Rhodes. Even if there was no risk of him hurting himself more, creating a visual where young wrestlers see an established star do this--it's not good. Wrestling is 31 flavors of messed up on a good day. This adds another warped wrinkle into the mix.

And they can't even capitalize on it right away. He's likely out for months if he actually tore the tendon from the bone. He'll be red hot in his return, but who knows what direction everyone else will have taken by then? A lot of variables that even Vince can't control.

[El-P]

19 minutes ago, Burgundy LaRue said:

But Cody last night? May as well call it Passion of the Rhodes.

I had the exact same thought. Fuck Cody and his martyr syndrome. This is not about being concerned for Cody's own health. I'm telling you honestly, I couldn't give a flying fuck, I've been a pro-wrestling fan for far too long to ignore I'm watching people destroying their bodies for my enjoyment (which in itself, asks a whole lot of questions). I obviously don't want anyone to get injured, including Cody Rhodes, but I laughed my ass off watching his stupid ass take a bump onto fire because he was desperate for cheers. The issue here is the martyrology. Onita was working on the same vibe, with the cries, the blood and the entire presentation. But he was a cult hero on a sleazy Japanese indie with no-TV, not the guy showcased by the n°1 wrestling promotion in the world shooting for the Mania main event. Let's be real, if not for the visual injury, both guys would probably have had a great match no one would talk about two weeks later.

[KawadaSmile]

Cody was out there crying on his first promo back. He might have cried during his Mania match, too. Working with a visually gruesome injury like that is one hundred percent in character. Maybe it will work this time and he will finally be the top guy he always wanted to be.

[The Man in Blak]

It’s pretty rare in wrestling to find a chance to approach the mythological nowadays, so I’m not surprised that Cody would jump at the opportunity. The ethics surrounding performers working injured is already beyond fucked in wrestling, sure, but I can also follow the idea that the injury couldn’t possibly get worse if it was a complete tear, so they could work the match at minimal risk. Rollins gets a ton of credit in my book for generously working (honestly, carrying) this match with Cody being in this condition.

And yeah, the booking is silly — Rollins losing this match is absurd — and I’m sure Cornette jumped into a nearby grave so that he could spin in it, but it’s WWE: everything is made up and the points don’t matter. This may be the one case where wins and losses effectively not mattering in WWE becomes a feature, rather than a bug.

Cody will ideally make a molten hot return at the Rumble, Seth continues being a giant dweeb in the meantime, and the world continues to turn.

[Matt D]

I wrote more at DVDVR but I'll put it simply as a counterpoint:

I think this was a purely business decision for Cody, not at all about martyring himself for the boys, in as such it'll help him market himself in the future. Likewise, Vince. Doing this made it more likely the company will get even further behind him later. He saw how Britt and, more relevantly, Becky made themselves off of bloody images and saw an opportunity to make an image of his own. Plus, he wanted that third win over Rollins to close out the program. The idea that he trained too hard and got hurt would tarnish a comeback that has to be as perfect as possible for him to achieve his goals. It wasn't about proving his toughness. It was about lining his wallet for years and decades to come. If the boys in the back go nuts for it at the same time, then he's happy to work them with that goal in mind This will be front and center in his WWE HOF entrance video.

I'm not saying Cody doesn't have some legitimate things to work out, like his resentment for fans who dare to have an emotional connection to the memory of Dusty, but a lot of what he does is pretty mercenary. I'm in the same boat with the flaming table spot and the moonsaults. Those were to get him in every AEW promo package/opening to run on TNT/TBS, to create something so spectacular that they would show it over and over again. This fell into his lap and he's going to milk it for everything it's worth. If it screws over younger wrestlers, I'm sure he can rationalize to himself how much he does for them anyway. And a lot of them would the first to agree with that rationalization anyway.

[El-P]

No one said it was about martyring himself "for the boys". Of course it's all about business and marketing himself. When I talk martyrology, I'm speaking purely about the spectacle of a grotesque looking injury and the narrative of being able to endure the legit pain as a way to get himself over. He's absolutely making it worse for people coming after him with this display. Just like Foley in 98.

I do think the guy has also issues in term of wanting to show his toughness though, or what he perceives to be toughness in a very old-school, toxic, mentality.

[Burgundy LaRue]

Yeah, it's about the visual. But perception is reality and Cody certainly knows that.

It'll be interesting to see how they play it when/if he goes against Roman. That's a two-time cancer survivor who works while managing leukemia. In reality, he's someone you can't play the "I would die for this" card against when it comes to one's health. But wrestling ain't reality.

[KawadaSmile]

I think Seth has become a tremendous asset. He doesn't need to win a lot, and is massively over just due to him being a master troll in the build of his feuds. 

• Dressing up as Halloween Havoc '98 Rey? Great.
• Showing up in full SHIELD gear, complete with the theme song? Aces.
• Having a polka dot gear to fuck with Cody? Masterful.

Like, he really doesn't *need* to hold a championship title at this point. His character work is so damn good right now that most of his feuds are engaging because of it. He found his groove in ring, too. Before he was a heel who wrestled like a babyface, and when he was a face he just too whiny. Now he's intentionally whiny, controlled his offense, and is just great.

 

[Dale Wolfe]

4 hours ago, El-P said:

This is completely different. Omega never told anyone he had vertigo until he stopped working. 

Is this true? It seems really reckless to be putting your opponents through spots and having them in your hands without being upfront about such a big issue/condition. I'm surprised by that. 

[Embrodak]

11 hours ago, El-P said:

Gross and incredibly stupid (who knows what this actually will do to his injury in the days to come ?). Sets a bad precedent and bad message for everyone too aka "Working way injured is how you get yourself over, kids". Worst of old-school mentality pushed to the worst extreme. There was signs in late AEW that Cody was crazy desperate for attention (the fire spot being the most obvious), but this is just *bad*. How is someone with a lesser injury gonna argue against the company that he/she shouldn't work now ? In term of setting a worse precedent in a HITC match, this is probably even worse than Foley's stunt (which was also a terrible precedent to set, but limited to the use of the gimmick).

Also :

Yeah, no shit. Really, this is amazingly stupid on all accounts. No idea how anyone could praise this simply for the message it sends to other workers. May have been awe-inspiring (although honestly, the whole morbid aspect of "OMG this is REAL PAIN" is extremely questionnable, what's the difference between this is some gory GCW deathmatches in term of dealing with actual self-imposed physical torture ?), but really, Cody... 

I also wonder. If the MJF drama doesn't happen last week, does Vince allows Cody to work ? 

Also, blood & guts (aka, blading) is gory self-mutilation. This on the other hand, is ok. Point taken.

This has an actual goddamn story and isn’t just gratuitous carnage to satiate people’s lizard brains. This fucking owned.

[Embrodak]

3 hours ago, The Man in Blak said:

It’s pretty rare in wrestling to find a chance to approach the mythological nowadays, so I’m not surprised that Cody would jump at the opportunity. The ethics surrounding performers working injured is already beyond fucked in wrestling, sure, but I can also follow the idea that the injury couldn’t possibly get worse if it was a complete tear, so they could work the match at minimal risk. Rollins gets a ton of credit in my book for generously working (honestly, carrying) this match with Cody being in this condition.

And yeah, the booking is silly — Rollins losing this match is absurd — and I’m sure Cornette jumped into a nearby grave so that he could spin in it, but it’s WWE: everything is made up and the points don’t matter. This may be the one case where wins and losses effectively not mattering in WWE becomes a feature, rather than a bug.

Cody will ideally make a molten hot return at the Rumble, Seth continues being a giant dweeb in the meantime, and the world continues to turn.

I’ll bet Corny is gonna love this.